16516.5. (Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 492, Sec. 1.)

(a) Notwithstanding any other law or regulation, all foster children who are placed in group homes by county welfare departments or county probation departments shall be visited at least monthly by a county social worker or probation officer. Each monthly visit shall include a private discussion between the foster child and the county social worker or probation officer. The private discussion shall not be held in the presence or immediate vicinity of the group home staff. The social worker or probation officer shall advise the foster child that he or she has the right to request that the private discussion occur outside the group home. If a foster child requests to have the private discussion outside the group home, that private discussion shall not replace the visit in the group home. However, the social worker or probation officer shall not be required to schedule an additional visit to accommodate the request. The contents of the private discussion shall not be disclosed to the group home staff, except that the social worker or probation officer may disclose information under any of the following circumstances:

(1) The social worker or probation officer believes that the foster child may be in danger of harming himself or herself, or others.

(2) The social worker or probation officer believes that disclosure is necessary to meet the needs of the child.

(3) The child consents to disclosure of the information.